Beattie G, Cohan CM, Chomsky-Higgins K, et al. - In view of the controversies concerning the need for routine chest radiograph (CXR) post removal of tube thoracostomy (TT) placed for evacuation of traumatic hemopneumothorax (HPTX), researchers here performed a decision-analytic model to determine the cost-effectiveness of routine CXR compared with clinical observation following TT removal. The adoption of clinical observation in lieu of post-TT removal CXR is identified as cost-effective in trauma patients with clinical and radiographic evidence of a resolved HPTX. More cost without additional benefit was accrued in correlation with routine CXR following TT removal. This emphasizes scrutinizing the practice of routinely obtaining a CXR following TT removal.